The present invention relates to a data transferring and/or receiving apparatus, method, and program storage medium, all in which data is transferred either within a single computer or among a number of computers.
Up until now, for transferring information displayed on a screen within a single computer, a user interface technique, which is referred to as xe2x80x9cdrag and dropxe2x80x9d, has been used. In the drag and drop technique, a subject that is being displayed on a computer screen, for example an icon, which represents information concerning a file stored in, for example, a hard disk, is clicked and dragged to a desired folder with a mouse and then dropped there. According to the drag and drop technique, the user is able to handle a subject displaced on a computer screen as if he/she were moving a real object, thereby enabling the user to naturally operate the computer.
However, if it is desired that a subject displayed on a screen is to be transferred to a different screen, i.e., when data, such as a file, is to be transferred between different computers, a natural user interface technique, such as the drag and drop technique, is not conventionally provided. For example, if a subject is to be transferred between different screens, the user is required to execute a command, such as a remote file copy command or an information transfer command.
In this manner, conventionally, even though a file transfer operation is performed between different computers, an op ration is disadvantageously conducted on the screen of a single computer. This type of user interface technique is far from representing the concept that a real object is being moved. Thus, the user is unable to perform a natural and simple operation in order to transfer a file between different computers.
Accordingly, in view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data transferring and/or receiving apparatus, method, and program storage medium, all of which use a user interface that enables natural and simple data transfer in a single computer or natural and simple data transmission among a number of computers.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring apparatus including a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via a network that is provided with a management table in which management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered. A controller registers in the management table, upon selecting by the input operation unit the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data. The controller also transfers, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information indicating the presence of the data represented by the registered management information from the data storage unit to the device on the network.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the operation input unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared with other apparatuses connected to the network. In the above-described data transferring apparatus, when the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data is registered in the management table. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the selected apparatus checks for the management information in the management table and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicted by the management information in the management table. Then, the data transferring apparatus of the present invention transmits the data corresponding to the management information to the apparatus that has requested data transmission.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, the display/input unit may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. The controller may identify, upon selecting by the input operation unit the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit and may register the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit. In this data transferring apparatus, when the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data is registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number of the input operation unit. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit having the above ID number, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in they management table having the above ID number and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving apparatus including a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via a network that is provided with a management table in which management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered. A controller requests, upon performing an input operation on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, a device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table to transmit data corresponding to the management information. The controller also receives the data from the device on the network and stores it in the data storage unit.
In the aforementioned data receiving apparatus, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared with other apparatuses connected to the network. In this data receiving apparatus, when the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the management information registered in the management table is checked, and a request is provided to the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus indicated by the management information registered in the management table to transmit data corresponding to the management information. The apparatus that has received the data transmission request transmits the data corresponding to the management information. The data receiving apparatus then receives the data and stores it.
According to the aforementioned data receiving apparatus, the display/input unit may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. The controller may identify, upon performing an input operation on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit, and may request the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number, to transmit the data corresponding to the management information.
In the above-described data receiving apparatus, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit. When the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number of the operated input operation unit is checked. Then, a request is provided to the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information having the above ID number.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring and receiving apparatus including a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via a network that is provided with a management table in which management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered. A controller checks for, upon performing an input operation on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, management information registered in the management table. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the controller registers the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table. The controller further transfers from the data storage unit to the device on the network, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from the device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data represented by the registered management information. On the other hand, if management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, the controller requests the device on the network indicted by the management information to transmit data corresponding to the management information and receives the data from the device on the network and stores it in the data storage unit.
In the aforementioned data transferring and receiving apparatus, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared with other apparatuses connected to the network. When the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the selected data is registered in the management table. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in the management table and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicated by the management information. The data transferring and receiving apparatus transmits the data corresponding to the management information to the apparatus that as requested data transmission. Further, in this data transferring and receiving apparatus, when the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the management information registered in the management table is checked, and a request is provided to the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus indicated by the management information registered in the management table to transmit data corresponding to the management information. The apparatus that has received the data transmission request transmits the data corresponding to the management information. Then, the data transferring and receiving apparatus receives the data and stores it.
In the aforementioned data transferring and receiving apparatus, the display/input unit may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. The controller any identify, upon selecting the information concerning the presence of the data indicated on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit and may check for management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the controller may register the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. In contrast, if management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, the controller may request the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
In the aforementioned data transferring and receiving apparatus, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit. When the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data is registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number of the input operation unit. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit having the ID number, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number. Further, in this data transferring and receiving apparatus, when the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number of the input operation unit is checked, and a request is provided to the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information having the above ID number.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transmitting system including a network provided with a management table in which management information representing information concerning the presence of data is registered. A number of data transferring and receiving apparatuses are connected on the network. Each of the data transferring and receiving apparatuses has a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via the network. A controller checks for, upon performing an input operation on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data registered in the management table. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the controller means registers the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table and further transfers from the data storage unit to the device on the network, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from the device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data represented by the registered management information. Conversely, if management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, the controller requests the device on the network indicated by the management information to transmit data corresponding to the management information and receives the data from the device on the network and stores it in the data storage unit.
In the aforementioned data transmitting system, the management table provided on the network is shared with the data transferring and receiving apparatuses connected to the network. When the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on a single data transferring and receiving apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the data transferring and receiving apparatus registers the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table. Then, when the above data transferring and receiving apparatus or another data transferring and receiving apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in the management table and requests the above data transferring and receiving apparatus to transmit data indicated by the management information registered in the management table. In the data transmitting system, the above data transferring and receiving apparatus then transmits the data corresponding to the management information to the apparatus that has requested data transmission. The data transmitting system then receives the data and stores it.
In the above-described data transmitting system, the display/input unit of each of the data transferring and receiving apparatuses may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each have in an ID number. The controller of each of the data transferring and receiving apparatuses may identify, upon selecting the information concerning the presence of the data indicated on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit and may check for management information in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the controller may register the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table corresponding to the identified ID number. On the other hand, if management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table the controller may request the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
In this data transmitting system, when the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on a single data transferring and receiving apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the data transferring and receiving apparatus registers the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table corresponding to the ID number of the operated input operation unit. When the above data transferring and receiving apparatus or another data transferring and receiving apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in the management table having the ID number and requests the above data transferring and receiving apparatus to transmit data indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the ID number.
According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring method including the steps of registering, upon selecting information concerning the presence of displayed data by an input operation unit, management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in a management table provided on a network, and transferring, upon obtaining a data transmission request that as been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data represented by the registered management information to the device on the network.
In the aforementioned data transferring method, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared among apparatuses connected to the network.
In this data transferring method, the information concerning the presence of the displayed data may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. If the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is selected by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data may be registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number.
In this data transferring method, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving method including the steps of identifying, upon performing an input operation by an input operation unit, management information registered in a management table provided on a network and requesting a device on the network indicated by the management information to transmit data corresponding to the management information, and receiving the data from the device on the network and storing it.
In this data receiving method, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared among the apparatuses connected to the network.
In the data receiving method, an input operation may be performed by a ingle input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. Upon performing an input operation by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number may be checked, and a request may be provided to the device on the network indicated by the management information to transmit the data corresponding to the management information.
In this data receiving method, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring and receiving method including the steps of checking for, upon performing an input operation by an input operation unit, management information representing information concerning the presence of data registered in a management table provided on a network, registering in the management table, in a case where there is no management information registered in the checked management table and where the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data, and transferring, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data indicated by the registered management information to the device on the network, and requesting, in a case where the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, the device on the network indicated by the management information to transmit data corresponding to the management information, and receiving the data from the device on the network and storing it.
In the aforementioned data transferring and receiving method, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared among the apparatuses connected to the network.
In the data transferring and receiving method, an input operation may be performed by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. Upon selecting the information concerning the presence of the displayed data by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number may be checked. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and if the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data may be registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. In contrast, if the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, a request may be provided to the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
In this data transferring and receiving method, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transmitting method including the steps of registering, upon selecting information concerning the presence of data displayed on a transmitting side by an input operation unit, management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in a management table provided on a network, checking, upon performing an input operation on a receiving side by the input operation unit, the management information and requesting the transmitting side to transmit data corresponding to the management information, transferring to the receiving side from the transmitting side, upon obtaining the data transmission request, the data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data to indicated by the registered management information, and receiving the data by the receiving side and storing it.
In the data transmitting method, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared between the transmitting side and the receiving side connected to the network.
In the aforementioned data transmitting method, an input operation may be performed by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. Upon selecting the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the transmitting side by the input operation unit, the transmitting side may identify the ID number of the operated input operation unit and may register the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. Upon performing an input operation on the receiving side by the input operation unit, the receiving side by the input ID number of the operated input operation unit and may check the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. The receiving side may provide a request to the transmitting side to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
In this data transmitting method, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring program storage medium storing a program that executes processing including the steps of registering, upon selecting information concerning the presence of displayed data by an input operation unit, management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in a management table provided on a network, and transferring, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data indicated by the registered management information to the device on the network.
In the aforementioned data transferring program storage a medium, the program may execute the following processing. If the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number, and is selected by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data may be registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving program storage medium storing a program that executes processing including the steps of requesting, upon performing an input operation by an input operation unit, a device on a network indicated by management information representing information concerning the presence of data registered in a management table provided on a network to transmit data corresponding to the management information, and receiving the data from the device on the network and storing it.
In the aforementioned data receiving program storage medium, the program may execute the following processing. Upon performing an input operation by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and a request may be provided to the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring and receiving program storage a medium storing a program that executes processing including the steps of checking for, upon performing an input operation by an input operation unit, management information representing information concerning the presence of data registered in a management table provided on a network, registering, in a case where there is no management information in the checked management table and where the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table, and transferring, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information concerning the presence of the data indicated by the registered management information to the device on the network, and requesting, in a case where the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table the device on the network indicated by the management information to transmit data corresponding to the management information, and receiving the data from the device on the network and storing it.
In the aforementioned data transferring and receiving program storage medium, the program may execute the following processing. An input operation may be performed by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. Upon selecting the information concerning the presence of the displayed data by the input operation unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit may be identified, and the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number may be checked. If there is no management information registered in the checked management table and if the information concerning the presence of the displayed data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data may be registered in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number. Conversely, if the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered in the checked management table, a request may be provided to the device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number to transmit data corresponding to the management information.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the Figures.